Why is CRISPR important?  

What is CRISPR? What is Cas9? How does CRISPR system work? What is needed to perform genome engineering in your lab? This short video introduces the basics of this novel technology, as well as genome editing/knockout products offered by OriGene. For more details, please visit www.origene.com...
Targeted genome modification has been hampered by the lack of an efficient tool to create a double-stranded break at a designed location. The CRISPR/CAS system is an RNA-guided nuclease system for the targeted introduction of double stranded DNA cleavage.
Originally discovered in bacteria as an acquired defense against foreign pathogens, CRISPR/CAS technology has been demonstrated to work successfully in all the common model organisms, making it one of the hottest technology breakthroughs in 2013.